Chapter 2

When I returned to my room, my forehead was burning as if I were on fire. I'd barely closed my eyes when laughter and excited chatter from the living room woke me up.

I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door. Ella was standing in front of the full-length mirror and twirling around proudly. Perched on her head was a golden crescent-moon tiara.

It was the tiara I'd earned when I was seven after hunting down a crazed reindeer all by myself in the snowy forest.

Mom stood beside her with a comb while lovingly fixing her stray hairs. When Mom looked up and saw me, her tone softened considerably.

"Alice, you're awake? There's some fever medicine on the table. I've kept some oatmeal warm in the kitchen. Go get yourself a bowl of oatmeal and take the medicine."

A wave of warmth spread through my chest.

But Mom continued, "Look how lovely your old tiara looks on Ella. You're all grown up now, and it's just gathering dust in a cabinet. Why not give it to Ella?"

Ella deliberately walked up to me and spun around. "Well? Doesn't it look pretty on me?"

My feelings were a tangled mess. I hesitated before asking, "Mom, do you remember how I got that tiara?"

The moment Ella heard me, she stuck out her tongue. "You're so petty, Alice! If you don't want to give it to me, just say so. Why do you have to quiz Mom about it?

"What are you so proud of anyway? Once I awaken my wolf spirit, I'll be way stronger than you! You couldn't even beat a few rogues in the mountains yesterday. You got trapped out there all night. How embarrassing!"

Looking at her arrogant expression, I forced down the anger churning inside me and fixed my gaze on the tiara atop her head. "I earned that tiara by killing a crazed reindeer to protect Mom and Dad. If you want one, why don't you earn it yourself?"

Ella burst into tears. Dad hurried over and grabbed my wrist. "Alice, give Ella the tiara! You're too old to be fighting with her over something like this! Haven't I bought you enough things already?

"On the day you awakened your wolf spirit, I ordered a fruit cake just for you! Can't you be a little more generous? Besides, that tiara really does look better on Ella."

I stared at Dad's stern face and felt a suffocating tightness building in my chest. The cake he'd supposedly ordered for me had actually been half a fruit tart that Ella had left over the day before.

When I was little, whenever I earned a reward, Dad would lift me high above his head and proudly proclaim that I was the pride of the Gray family.

But after Ella came along, all the attention that had once belonged to me turned into whatever scraps they had left over.

The door to the upstairs study swung open, and Tommy emerged in his pajamas. He looked extremely irritated. "What's all the noise this early in the morning? I'm taking the Royal Werewolf Council exam next month! Can't you all let me have some peace and quiet?"

He glanced sympathetically at Ella, who was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. He then glared down at me. "Alice, don't think you're so special just because your wolf spirit is strong! That doesn't give you the right to bully Ella!

"There are plenty of werewolves powerful than you in Royal City. Once I join the werewolf council in Royal City, I'll be able to move the whole family into the inner city. You'll be counting on me to help you then! So stop sulking and apologize to Ella!"

Seraphina let out a vicious growl deep inside me.

I smiled. "Of course we'll be counting on you, Tommy. After all, being able to protect yourself when danger strikes is pretty important."

Tommy immediately realized I was referring to the way he'd hidden behind Dad when the rogues attacked the previous day. His face flushed bright red.

Dad slammed his hand down on the coffee table. "Alice! Is that any way to speak to your brother? His wolf spirit is weak. He was born with a weaker physique than you, so it's already an achievement for him to have developed the skills he has!

"Apologize to him right now! He was frightened yesterday, and now he's under a lot of pressure preparing for his exam. Can't you be more understanding?"

Mom sighed and took my arm while trying to coax me into backing down. "All right, Alice. I know you were hurt yesterday. I'll go to the market later and buy some fresh beef to make you a nice, nourishing soup.

"But your brother's future is a matter of importance to the whole family, and Ella is the youngest. You're the only one of our pups who's fully awakened her wolf spirit. Can't you be a little more sensible?"

'Be more sensible.'

It's those words again. Ever since Ella was born, whenever I had an argument with my siblings, I was always the one at fault. I was always the one expected to be sensible.

But what about them?

One stole my belongings, while the other humiliated me. Yet no one ever demanded that they compensate me or apologize.

In this family, I was always the only one who had to be sensible. Tommy and Ella never did.

I stood my ground and stared at them. I refused to give an inch.

Mom finally released my arm with a helpless sigh. She turned around, pulled out a thick, custom-made design catalog, and wrapped her arms around Ella, who was still crying.

"All right, Ella. We don't need Alice's tiara anymore. I took a closer look, and the gold plating is already worn out. How could something like that be good enough for my precious daughter's tenth birthday party?

"I'll commission the finest craftsman in Royal City to make you a brand-new solid gold tiara studded with rubies. We'll pair it with a custom-made velvet dress too. How does that sound?"

I froze in place while my fingertips trembled.

Ella's tenth birthday was still a full six months away, yet the entire family was already making elaborate plans for her tiara and dress.

But just two days earlier, on the most important day of my life, my awakening ceremony, Mom had simply bought a box of discounted candles from a street stall. She hadn't even bothered to prepare a proper meal.

The moment Ella heard that she'd be getting a new solid gold tiara, she pursed her lips dismissively and pulled the old one off her head. "Fine, fine! Take it back! I don't want some old, worthless thing anyway!"

She tossed it into my arms so carelessly that I couldn't catch it. My fever had left me weak and exhausted.

Clang.

The tiara hit the floor and shattered into pieces.

The entire living room fell silent.

Mom merely glanced down at the broken tiara and said flatly, "There. It's broken. So what? It was old anyway. No one can wear it now. Come on, Ella. Let's go upstairs and pick out the color of your dress."

Dad patted Tommy on the shoulder. "Come on, Tommy. I'll take you to the backyard to work on your basic physical training. Don't let these trivial matters distract you from your preparation."

No one apologized. They simply went about their business, chatting and laughing as their footsteps faded away.

I stood alone in the empty living room and slowly crouched down to pick up the largest piece of the shattered tiara.

Its sharp edge pierced my skin, and blood trickled between my fingers before dripping onto the floor one drop at a time.

Deep inside me, Seraphina let out a low, anguished whimper. It was the fading echo of a hope I could no longer hold onto.